Rosen Plevneliev Criticizes the Tight Defense Budget

Bulgaria's President Rosen Plevneliev criticized the tightening of the country's defense budget and urged for its immediate increase.

“The country must increase its defense budget to at least 1.5% of GDP and to bring it back to the 2%, which we had before the start of the economic downturn,” Plevneliev said after his meeting with NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

According to Plevneliev, the country must invest in its defense abilities and seek diversification of the weapons and equipment deliveries.

“I would be glad if diversification is the main criterion in the next purchases,” he said.

Meanwhile, Bulgaria's daily newspaper Trud reported, that the Russian aviation company RKS MiG would continue its maintenance of Bulgaria's MiG fighter jets and would offer to sell new fighters MiG-29M2.

According to the newspaper, a new MiG-29M2 costs EUR 35 M, but there is an option for buying back of the old fighters, which would lower the price to EUR 29 M.

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Mr. President it is not your decision. You are suggesting that you buy expensive american fighters.

Parliament does the Budget. Work for peace in the Ukraine and save a lot of money.

The Crimean people are not complaining about joining the Russian Federation, the IMF wants the Ukraine to increase taxes, reduce government expenditure and increase energy prices as the conditions of lending the Ukraine the money it needs to survive.

The regions in the Ukraine need to think about and explore alternatives that can give them a more stable and safe future.

No need for war, create a federal Ukraine and allow the people in each region decide who they want to be aligned with.

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